Chapter 7 - The Shadows of Sabotage
That night, the Thompson Estate was quiet, but inside the master guest suite, Sarah couldn't sleep.
The bed was comfortable—a king-sized mattress with silk sheets—but the sudden shift from a decaying apartment on Maple Street to a billionaire's estate felt overwhelming. She got out of bed, threw on a soft robe, and walked down the hallway to check on the kids.
In the nursery room, Mia and Lily were fast asleep in twin canopy beds, holding new plush teddy bears, breathing steadily.
Sarah smiled softly, then walked down the corridor to Tyler's room.
The door was slightly ajar. Inside, Tyler was sitting at his desk near the balcony window, looking through the telescope Marcus had set up for him.
"Tyler?" Sarah whispered, stepping into the room. "Why are you up, honey?"
Tyler turned around. In the soft moonlight, his face looked thoughtful, far older than his eight years.
"Mama," Tyler said softly. "Is this real? Are we going to have to go back to Maple Street when the food runs out?"
Sarah felt a sharp stab in her heart. She walked over, kneeling beside his chair, and pulled her son into a tight hug. "No, baby. We aren't going back. Your daddy is going to make sure we're safe."
"He's really rich, isn't he?" Tyler asked.
"Yes, he is," Sarah admitted. "But that's not what makes him important, Tyler. What makes him important is that the second he heard your voice on that phone, he dropped everything to come find us."
Suddenly, a faint red flash blinked outside the window down on the dark driveway.
Tyler pointed out the balcony glass. "Mama... look. There's a man near Daddy's car."
Sarah leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. Down on the illuminated driveway, a dark figure dressed in a black hoodie was crouched near the rear wheel of Marcus’s primary executive sedan, holding a metal device against the undercarriage.
"Tyler, stay here!" Sarah ordered, her pulse racing.
She ran out of the room, speeding down the grand wooden staircase toward Marcus’s study.
She burst into the study without knocking. Marcus was sitting at his desk, reviewing legal briefs with Jonathan Vance, his head of corporate security.
May you like
"Marcus!" Sarah gasped, out of breath. "There's someone outside! By your car!"
Jonathan immediately drew a concealed firearm from his holster, hitting a button on the wall that triggered a silent estate alarm. "Security detail, perimeter breach at the driveway bay! Intercept immediately!"
